System and method for operational phase detection

Abstract

A method includes obtaining data associated with operation of an aircraft and determining a first operational phase of the aircraft based on the data. The method includes identifying a candidate operational phase transition from the first operational phase to a candidate operational phase based on a first portion of the data satisfying a first condition associated with the candidate operational phase, the first portion of the data corresponding to a first time. The method includes evaluating a second portion of the data based on a second condition associated with the candidate operational phase, the second portion of the data corresponding to a second time that is subsequent to the first time. The method further includes, based on the second condition being satisfied, generating an operational phase transition indication that indicates an occurrence of an operational phase transition to the candidate operational phase at the first time.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for monitoring aircraft operation using operational data acquired during operation of an aircraft, the method comprising:
 obtaining, at a processor, data associated with operation of the aircraft from one or more sensors; 
 segmenting, by the processor, the data from the one or more sensors into segment intervals for a number of parameters associated with particular sensor data from the one or more sensors according to a set of operational phase transition conditions associated with the aircraft; 
 identifying, by the processor, a plurality of operational phase transitions associated with operation of the aircraft, wherein identifying an operational phase transition of the plurality of operational phase transitions includes:
 determining, by the processor, a first operational phase of the aircraft at a first time; 
 analyzing the data in the segment intervals subsequent to the first time to identify a candidate operational phase transition based on satisfaction of a first trigger condition corresponding to a first parameter associated with a threshold; 
 after identifying the candidate operational phase transition, analyzing the data in the segment intervals subsequent to the first time for satisfaction of a second trigger condition corresponding to a second parameter associated with a value; and 
 in response to confirming the candidate operational phase transition to a candidate operational phase based on the first trigger condition and the second trigger condition being satisfied, generating, by the processor, an operational phase transition indication that indicates occurrence of the operational phase transition to the candidate operational phase; and 
 
 displaying, on a user interface display of the aircraft, a chronological ordering of multiple operational phases associated with actual operation of the aircraft based on the plurality of operational phase transitions. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data includes sensor data from a speed sensor, a landing gear position indicator, a fuel flow rate sensor, an altitude sensor, or a combination thereof, wherein the segmenting includes at least segmenting speed sensor data into first segment intervals according to a speed parameter, and wherein trigger conditions associated with the first segment intervals include at least a first condition of the speed parameter being greater than a first speed threshold and a second condition of the speed parameter being greater than a second speed threshold. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first trigger condition is satisfied based on data from a first sensor, and wherein the second trigger condition is satisfied based on second data from a second sensor distinct from the first sensor. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the parameters include ground speed determined from first sensor data from a ground speed sensor. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the parameters further include altitude determined from second sensor data from an altitude sensor. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein, for identifying a particular operational phase transition, the first parameter corresponds to the ground speed, wherein the first trigger condition corresponds to exceeding a maximum taxi ground speed indicated by the threshold, wherein the candidate operational phase transition comprises a take-off roll phase, wherein the second parameter corresponds to landing gear position, and wherein the value indicates the landing gear position is down. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein, for identifying a second particular operation phase transition, the first parameter corresponds to the ground speed, wherein the first trigger condition corresponds to exceeding a take-off roll phase speed, wherein the candidate operation phase transition comprises an initial climb phase, wherein the second parameter corresponds to altitude, and wherein the value indicates a value above ground level. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein, for identifying a second particular operation phase transition, the first trigger condition is associated with detection of a decrease in altitude, and wherein satisfaction of the second trigger condition includes detection of the decrease in altitude for at least a threshold time. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data includes state data that indicates a state of a system of the aircraft. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an updated trigger condition; 
 adjusting one or more segment intervals of the segment intervals based on the updated trigger condition; and 
 generating an updated operational phase transition indication based on the adjusting the one or more segment intervals. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving a second updated trigger condition; 
 readjusting one or more segment intervals associated with the updated trigger condition based on the second updated trigger condition; and 
 generating a second updated operational phase transition indication based on the readjusting the one or more segment intervals. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, after generating the operational phase transition indication:
 receiving an input identifying a modified operational phase transition condition; and 
 processing the data based on the modified operational phase transition condition to generate a modified operational phase transition indication. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the modified operational phase transition condition includes at least one of a modified trigger condition or a modified second condition. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operational phase transition is identified further based on a time offset value indicating a minimum time between transitioning from the first operational phase and transitioning to the candidate operational phase. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein analyzing the data in the segment intervals comprises identifying a transition to a first candidate operational phase of a taxi out phase based on satisfaction of the first trigger condition corresponding to a ground speed greater than  10  knots and based on satisfaction of the second trigger condition corresponding to the value indicating landing gear position is down, and wherein identifying a second candidate operational phase transition comprises identifying a transition from the first candidate operational phase to a second candidate operational phase of a take-off roll phase based on satisfaction of the first trigger condition corresponding to a ground speed greater than  50  knots associated with a take-off roll phase and based on satisfaction of the second trigger condition corresponding to the value indicating an altitude increase corresponding to a climb phase. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the operational phase transition indication includes a graphical representation of a set of operational phase transitions identified in the data, and the user interface display further includes timestamped data values associated with detection of each operational phase transition of the set of operational phase transitions. 
     
     
       17. An aircraft comprising:
 a plurality of sensors configured to generate sensor data during operation of the aircraft; 
 a processor configured to:
 receive the sensor data from one or more sensors; 
 segment the sensor data from one or more sensors into segment intervals for a number of parameters associated with particular sensor data from the one or more sensors according to a set of operational phase transition conditions; 
 identify a plurality of operational phase transitions associated with aircraft operation, wherein identifying an operational phase transition of the plurality of operational phase transitions includes:
 determine a first operational phase of the aircraft at a first time; 
 analyze the sensor data in the segment intervals to identify a candidate operational phase transition from the first operational phase to a candidate operational phase based on satisfaction of a first trigger condition corresponding to a first parameter associated with a threshold; 
 after identifying the candidate operational phase, analyze the data in the segment intervals for satisfaction of a second trigger condition corresponding to a second parameter associated with a value at a time subsequent to the first time; and 
 in response to confirming the candidate operational phase transition to a candidate operation phase based on a determination that the first trigger condition and the second trigger condition are satisfied, generate an operational phase transition output that indicates an occurrence of an operational phase transition at the first time; and 
 
 
 a display device configured to display a user interface display including a chronological ordering of multiple operational phases associated with actual aircraft operation based on the plurality of operational phase transitions. 
 
     
     
       18. The aircraft of  claim 17 , wherein the sensor data further includes state data that indicates a state of a system of the aircraft. 
     
     
       19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 obtaining data associated with operation of an aircraft from one or more sensors; 
 segmenting the data from one or more sensors into segment intervals for a number of parameters associated with particular sensor data from the one or more sensors according to a set of operational phase transition conditions associated with the aircraft; 
 identifying a plurality of operational phase transitions associated with operation of the aircraft, wherein identifying an operational phase transition of the plurality of operational phase transitions includes:
 determining a first operational phase of the aircraft at a first time; 
 analyzing the data in the segment intervals to identify a candidate operational phase transition from the first operational phase based on satisfaction of a first trigger condition corresponding to a first parameter associated with a threshold; 
 after identifying the candidate operational phase transition, analyzing the data in the segment intervals for satisfaction of a second trigger condition corresponding to a second parameter associated with a value at a time subsequent to the first time; and 
 based on a determination that the first trigger condition and second trigger condition are satisfied, generating an operational phase transition indication that indicates an occurrence of the operational phase transition at the first time; and 
 
 displaying, on a user interface display of the aircraft, a chronological ordering of multiple operational phases associated with actual operation of the aircraft based on the plurality of operational phase transitions. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein satisfaction of the first trigger condition includes a first parameter determined from first data associated with a first sensor satisfying a first threshold and satisfaction of the second trigger condition includes a second parameter determined from second data associated with a second sensor satisfying a second threshold.